Council tax bills in North Northamptonshire set to rise by 4.99% in draft budget
Concern over impact on low-income families as 2026/27 financial plans unveiled
Council tax in North Northamptonshire is set to increase by 4.99% as part of a draft budget for the financial year 2026/27 approved by the council’s executive.
The proposed rise will mean annual bills for Band D properties increasing by £91.17 to £1,918.23. Additionally, fees and charges are under review, with potential rises including leisure fees and the charge for garden waste collection increasing from £50 to £62.
During the executive meeting on 16th December, former Labour councillor Lyn Buckingham expressed concern over the financial pressure the plan would place on working families earning just above the threshold for council tax support.
“Low-income working households and a 4.99% council tax increase may be awful, but it lands alongside rising fees and charges,” Buckingham said.
The draft budget estimates £431m will be spent on essential services across the area, such as social care, waste collection, road maintenance, housing, and support for homeless individuals.
The challenges behind the budget
Council leader Cllr Martin Griffiths stated that North Northamptonshire Council continues to face funding challenges, particularly in statutory services such as social care.
He explained that central government’s recent changes to funding formulas have shifted allocations to metropolitan areas, leaving rural councils like North Northamptonshire underfunded.
“Fair funding was the opportunity for the government to distribute funding based on the actual need of our communities rather than historic allocations,” Griffiths said, adding that the council could face reduced services or further tax hikes unless additional support is secured.
National funding pressures
Executive member for regulatory services, Cllr Kirk Harrison, said local authorities are being forced to rely on maximum council tax increases due to gaps in national government funding models.
“It’s the latest example of central government placing increased demand on local government while refusing to provide the funding to meet them,” Harrison said.
While finance executive member Cllr Graham Cheatley acknowledged the pressure on households, he highlighted that North Northamptonshire Council’s tax levels remain in the lower half of the national unitary council average.
The financial plans will now go out for consultation for six weeks, ahead of a full council decision in early 2026.